Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Barbie. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
The Barbie doll is one of the most successful toys in history. It was launched in 1959 by the U.S. toy manufacturer Mattel. It has since become a cultural icon. American businesswoman Ruth Handler came up with the idea of an adult doll for small girls after seeing her daughter dressing up paper dolls. The name ‘Barbie’ comes from Handler’s own daughter Barbara. Over 350,000 dolls were sold in the first year. Over a billion Barbies have been sold since. Clever marketing means toy execs keep Barbie up with the times. They adjust to every cultural challenge and change. Her waist was recently widened to avoid stereotypes that women must be thin. She also sports a tattoo on her back. Sales are also boosted by a range of pets, cars and accessories – everything the young woman might need.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Barbie on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. BARBIE MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Barbie. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Barbie. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Barbie and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Barbie. They write these down and add the same number of things about the company that are false. Students test each other on which of their points are true or false.
6. FACTS:In groups, students write down as many facts as they can about Barbie. The winner is the group with the most facts. Teacher may wish to have groups share their facts to make sure they are real.
LISTENING / READING GAP FILL
The Barbie doll __________________ successful toys in history. It __________________ 1959 by the U.S. toy manufacturer Mattel. It has since __________________. American businesswoman Ruth Handler __________________ idea of an adult doll for small girls after seeing her daughter __________________ dolls. The name ‘Barbie’ comes from Handler’s own daughter Barbara. Over 350,000 dolls were sold in the first year. Over a billion Barbies have been sold since. Clever marketing __________________ keep Barbie up with the times. They adjust to __________________ and change. Her waist was recently widened to avoid stereotypes that women must be thin. She also sports a tattoo on her back. Sales are also __________________ of pets, cars and accessories – everything the young woman might need.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
The Barbie doll is one of the most successful toys in history. It was ldchaeun in 1959 by the U.S. toy manufacturer Mattel. It has since become a rultuacl icon. American businesswoman Ruth Handler came up with the idea of an adult doll for small girls after seeing her daughter gsdnreis up paper dolls. The name ‘Barbie’ comes from Handler’s own dearuhtg Barbara. Over 350,000 dolls were sold in the first year. Over a billion Barbies have been sold since. Clever miakergnt means toy execs keep Barbie up with the times. They jdatsu to every cultural heleangcl and change. Her waist was recently widened to vaido stereotypes that women must be thin. She also sports a aottto on her back. Sales are also eoobstd by a range of pets, cars and accessories – everything the young woman might need.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
The Barbie most the of one is doll toys successful in history. It was launched in 1959 by the U.S. toy manufacturer Mattel. icon has become cultural It since a. American businesswoman Ruth Handler came up with the an of idea girls small for doll adult after seeing her daughter dressing up paper dolls. The name ‘Barbie’ daughter Handler’s comes own from Barbara. Over 350,000 dolls were sold in the first year. Over a billion Barbies have sold been marketing Clever . since means toy up execs with keep the Barbie times. They adjust to every cultural challenge and change. Her waist was recently avoid widened stereotypes to that women must be thin. She also a on back sports tattoo her. Sales are range boosted of by pets a also, cars and accessories – might woman young the everything need.
the barbie doll is one of the most successful toys in history it was launched in 1959 by the us toy manufacturer mattel it has since become a cultural icon american businesswoman ruth handler came up with the idea of an adult doll for small girls after seeing her daughter dressing up paper dolls the name ‘barbie’ comes from handler’s own daughter barbara over 350000 dolls were sold in the first year over a billion barbies have been sold since clever marketing means toy execs keep barbie up with the times they adjust to every cultural challenge and change her waist was recently widened to avoid stereotypes that women must be thin she also sports a tattoo on her back sales are also boosted by a range of pets cars and accessories – everything the young woman might need
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
The Barbie doll .......... (be) one of the most successful toys in history. It was .......... (launch) in 1959 by the U.S. toy manufacturer Mattel. It has since .......... (become) a cultural icon. American businesswoman Ruth Handler .......... (come) up with the idea of an adult doll for small girls after .......... (see) her daughter dressing up paper dolls. The name ‘Barbie’ .......... (come) from Handler’s own daughter Barbara. Over 350,000 dolls were .......... (sell) in the first year. Over a billion Barbies have been sold since. Clever marketing .......... (mean) toy execs .......... (keep) Barbie up with the times. They .......... (adjust) to every cultural challenge and change. Her waist was recently .......... (widen) to avoid stereotypes that women must be thin. She also sports a tattoo on her back. Sales are also .......... (boost) by a range of pets, cars and accessories – everything the young woman might need.
The Barbie doll is one of the most successful toys in ____________. It was launched in 1959 by the U.S. toy manufacturer Mattel. It has since become a ____________icon. American businesswoman Ruth Handler ____________up with the idea of an adult doll for small girls after ____________her daughter dressing up paper dolls. The name ‘Barbie’ ____________from Handler’s own daughter Barbara. Over 350,000 dolls were sold in the first year. Over a billion Barbies have been sold since. Clever marketing means toy ____________keep Barbie up with the times. They ____________to every cultural challenge and change. Her waist was recently widened to ____________stereotypes that women must be thin. She also ____________a tattoo on her back. Sales are also boosted by a ____________of pets, cars and accessories – everything the young woman might need.
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PROJECT BARBIE
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Barbie. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Barbie is better than the competition
How to beat the competition
Part 2. Change partners and look at their project. Suggest improvements. Ask for advice on your project:
Part 3. Make a presentation on your project. Give it to the class. Vote the best projects.
BARBIE – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Barbie CEO
You believe your company is the best in the world. It pays its workers very well and working conditions are great. Your company is very green – it cares about the environment. You think your levels of customer service are great. Disagree with person B, C and D.
Role B – Barbie worker
You think it’s a bad company to work for. You’re very unhappy with pay, raises and bonuses. You are very unhappy with the working environment. You don’t like the company’s policy on the environment. You keep hearing profits are more important than customers. Disagree with A and C. Tell D the truth.
Role C – Barbie customer
You are a customer of Barbie. You used to think it was great, but not now. Its workers are always very rude. No one ever answers the phone. You are shocked about its policy on the environment. You think all staff should get less pay. You disagree with person A and B. Tell D the truth.
Role D – A journalist
You keep hearing bad things about Barbie. You want to tell the world in your newspaper. You heard the CEO gets a huge bonus every year. You found a company memo saying profits are more important than the environment. You want to know why so many staff are ill. Find the truth.
BARBIE – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Barbie New Products Director
You have created a new product for Barbie. You believe the new product will be the company’s best ever. It will be a bestseller. There are people who do not agree with you. You need B, C and D on your side. Tell them why this is a product that will bring great things to Barbie.
Role B – Barbie Marketing Director
You think the company’s new product is a really bad idea. It will give your company a really bad name. You think the New Products Director is trying to destroy the company. Try to get him/her to understand there’s no way the new product will sell. Try to get person C and D on your side.
Role C – Barbie Market Researcher
You have interviewed thousands of people about the new product. They don’t like it or hate it. You think it will be successful if they make many changes. Tell the New Products Director he/she needs to change the product. You neither like nor trust person B. Disagree will him/her.
Role D – Barbie Shareholder
You know a lot about Barbie’s new product. You are worried it will not sell and share prices will go down. You think A is crazy and must find a new job. You agree with everything B says. You don’t agree with C. The new product should not go on the market.
Write a letter of apology to the customer. Explain why you cannot give a refund. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other’s work.
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HOMEWORK
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Barbie. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Barbie. What have they done recently? What are their plans? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. BARBIE POSTERMake a poster about Barbie. Make sure you sell the company to the public. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.
5. MY BARBIE LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Barbie. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished.
6. ONLINE SHARING:Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter stream, Del-icio-us / StumbleUpon account, or any other social media tool to get opinions on Barbie. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
